Change
by Macx
Summary: moviefic When Jazz died at Megatron's hands, things changed. But not just for the Autobots... one Decepticon felt betrayed. Story no. 1 of the Imperfection fics


The Transformers 2007 Movie Random Pairing Generator - Major Characters Version

(http/ / nriennui / TF2007generator1.html) Remove the blank spaces to view the website. It's a lot of fun!

TITLE: Change  
AUTHOR: Macx  
RATING: PG-13  
DISCLAIMER: None of the canon characters belong to me, sadly. They are owned by people with a lot more money.  
Author's Voice of Warning (aka Author's Note):  
English is not my first language; it's German. This is the best I can do. Any mistakes you find in here, collect them and you might win a prize The spell-checker said everything's okay, but you know how trustworthy those thingies are...  
FEEDBACK: Loved

The generator gave me this: Barricade / Jazz / holiday

Barricade wasn't a mechanoid to believe in customs, especially on alien worlds. Humans had a great many of them and most made no sense, were based on believes and myths, and involved a great deal of merchandizing. That he understood. Exploitation was a Decepticon concept.

The first four years on Earth, before the Allspark had finally been found, Barricade had watched and filed away whatever he deigned useful. Frenzy was usually rather ecstatic about human culture and always wanted to try something out. Barricade had drawn the line at the singing Santa on his dashboard and the lit-up pumpkins around his fender for Halloween.

Half a year after the battle that had cost many of his comrades… associates … their lives and which had killed Megatron, too, he sat in the middle of the Nevada desert. It was a cold, dark night, fitting his cold and dark mood. He had repaired the damage done to him and crawled away into hiding to heal. The months had rolled by and he had noticed little outside his rather small world. He slipped by under the Autobots' radar and existed day by day.

Frenzy was gone. The inane chatter and spastic blabbering had turned to silence. He missed the company, but for no specific reason. Frenzy had been a tool, a part of him he could use, and one to further his standing when it came to others of his position.

Blackout, Bonecrusher, maybe even Scorponok, had been terminated as well. Starscream's fate was unknown.

Megatron was dead. Barricade didn't mourn him. He would never mourn this particular death.

Because Megatron had taken what had belonged to Barricade. He had betrayed the shock trooper within hours after regaining his freedom.

He had killed Jazz.

Barricade felt something shiver through him. Before the war, before the Lord High Protector of Cybertron had recruited the shock trooper to the ranks of the Decepticons, there had been Jazz. They had been friends first, of sorts. Not like humans would understand it anyway. While they were different, they were also very much alike. Their sparks recognized it.

The war had changed that.

But it had never changed the connection between them.

Jazz had become Optimus Prime's first lieutenant, his second in command, and Barricade had been Megatron's deadly weapon against Autobot resistance. Still, there was an unspoken, agreed upon truce between them.

Barricade felt the dark cloud that had hovered around him ever since Jazz's termination increase.

He had shared something with the other mechanoid. Something intense, something few found like that. Their sparks were compatible and when they had shared the first time, it had been an eye-opener, as the humans would say.

Megatron had known about their connection and he had used it. He had given Barricade his word to spare the Autobot lieutenant if Barricade gave him information now and then, used the trust. Jazz had known about that arrangement in turn.

"Use me, huh?" he had said throughout one secret meeting. "Double agents and subterfuge? Or this more like all-out frontal assault, no holds barred?"

Barricade had moved uneasily. Abusing his partner's trust was unacceptable. They had shared. After that it would be a betrayal much worse than going behind Megatron's back.

"I won't betray you."

"But you would betray my friends, even kill them."

He had been silent. The blue optics had known. Jazz had only once asked him to join Prime's side, but Barricade couldn't see the Autobots winning this war, and he wouldn't be caught on the loser's side. Never.

"I think we can think of a compromise," had been Jazz's final comment.

And they had.

Until Megatron had broken his word and killed the Autobot.

Barricade's fury unloaded in a scream. Jazz was gone and his own spark ached. All he had done had been to protect the only thing he had ever cared about, a spark that bore a different symbol but was still so alike.

Megatron's betrayal of Barricade's loyalty had been greater than anything he had ever done. If he wasn't already dead, the shock trooper would give his life taking the other with him. But the human had killed him and Barricade felt bereft. The human had done what he should have, but he wasn't angry at the boy.

He was just alone.

Everything had changed, was gone, and would never come back.

He had changed.

Barricade transformed as he noticed the approach of three signals. Autobots. He had called them here. Whether they would kill him or not – he didn't care.

Optimus Prime transformed and loomed over the smaller Decepticon, blue optics meeting red ones. Barricade didn't even look at the others.

"I am surprised," the Autobot leader said evenly.

"Not as surprised I am that you came."

"What do you want, Barricade?"

"I have made my choice," the Decepticon said, voice inflectionless.

Optimus' optics flared briefly. "Why now?"

"Megatron betrayed me and my loyalty. He broke his word."

"He was a Decepticon," Ironhide could be heard out of the dark, voice full of sarcasm and hatred. "Decepticons lie for a living. They _deceive_."

Barricade didn't deign him worthy of a comment. "My choice is final," he only said.

"You're switching sides? Don't make me laugh!" the weapons specialist snorted. "You're a Decepticon! I wouldn't trust your kind!"

"I don't care if you do. I offer you a truce, Optimus Prime. My affiliation with the Decepticons is over. Neither of us can go home, but fighting each other is senseless."

The Autobot commander suddenly seemed to realize where Barricade was saying.

"You're defecting."

Barricade didn't evade the intense blue optics. "Yes."

"About time," a voice said out of the darkness.

Barricade's fuel pump missed a beat and his spark stuttered a little as the silver-gray mechanoid stepped out from behind Ironhide.

"Jazz," he managed.

The almost insolent grin gave him another shiver.

"Hey there, tall, dark and handsome."

"You're dead," he blurted.

"Not any more. Ratchet's work. Back to life, back to reality. Don't ask about the technicalities."

Barricade knew his systems were failing him and he was gaping like an idiot. Jazz sauntered over to him.

"So, you finally got it right and turned your back on Megatron? Man, if I had known it would take such drastic measure, I'd have died before."

Barricade felt close to strangling the other mechanoid. So he just hissed in fury.

"Stop that! It's not funny!"

Blue optics met red, showing what Barricade felt himself. "Hey. It all worked out fine. Real fine. And now you're here."

"I'm not trusting some slagging Decepticon not to shoot me in the back!" Ironhide snarled.

Jazz still grinned. "Then don't. I do. Wanna race?" he challenged.

He transformed and shot off. Energon coursed through Barricade's systems and without another thought he transformed and tore after the silver car. Exhilaration whizzed through him and he could have laughed at the joy, if it hadn't been such an undignified response.

Jazz was alive. His spark glowed in his chest, feeling a resonance from its mate.

Maybe it was time to start celebrating after all


End file.
